From Cobb to Coach of the Year: Wisconsin’s Greg Gard is the ultimate underdog

By Christina Lorey

April 11, 2025

Wisconsin’s Greg Gard has one of the BEST underdog stories in college sports:

🚜 He grew up on a hog farm in the tiny town of Cobb, Wisconsin (population: 480).

🏀 He met future Hall of Fame coach Bo Ryan at an 8th grade basketball camp.

❤️ When his own athletic career wasn’t panning out, he volunteered for Ryan at that same summer camp in college.

Ryan eventually hired him, and the two began a 23 year coaching partnership, which took them to three schools and earned them multiple titles.

But even when other D1 programs came calling, offering HEAD coaching jobs, Gard always turned them down, choosing instead to stay as Ryan’s assistant.

WHY? It’s how he was raised. Gard’s mom and dad were a high school secretary and an agricultural loan officer who remained at their respective jobs for nearly 40 years each!

“They taught us when someone gives you something good, be appreciative of it and don’t always be looking for the next job,” Gard said.

Eventually, patience, loyalty, and hard work paid off — and Gard earned the role of Wisconsin’s head men’s basketball coach when Ryan retired in 2015.

Author

Christina Lorey

Christina Lorey is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist and former UpNorthNews newsletter editor. She previously worked as a producer, reporter, and TV anchor for stations in Madison and Moline. When she’s not writing or asking questions, Christina volunteers with Girls on the Run, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, and several mental health organizations.

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